Finding the Blue Spirit
by Zeratide
Summary: Sequel to Return of the Blue Spirit. Everything seemed like it had calmed down after Amon's defeat, but now there are stories of Dark Spirits. Korra will do her duty, and Lin hers. But for Roku, what is there for a man who has everything he ever wanted? And with REAL Spirits in the world, can the Blue Spirit continue to exist? Rated M for Language, Violence, Adult Content.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! So, first off, may I say that the new season of Korra has been incredible! I'm very much enjoying it, and I'd also like to thank one of my biggest reviewers from my Return of the Blue Spirit, TheDreamChaser, for suggesting that I create a sequel. Since the new season of Korra takes place about six months after season one, this will start about five months after season one, just to give me a little bit of a buildup.

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><p><em>The Everstorm, while fearsome, did not seem as dangerous as the legends would suggest. Lin pounced at another snowdrift, digging her graying muzzle in as Roku breathed on his hands, using his Firebending to release a hot puff of air to warm the numb appendages. The heat melted some of the ice that had built up in his new cold-weather beard, and the twenty-nine year old watched as the cloud of his breath faded from sight, the ice already forming back up in his beard. He whistled, and the she-wolf appeared at his side again, walking with him as he walked lightly through the heavy drifts and swirling blizzard. "What am I to find?" he wondered aloud, watching his breath puff with every word. "Why would my dreams send me here?"<em>

_There was a slight sound off to his right, and he turned, flames springing into existence as he saw an oddly dressed young man sitting on an animal he had never seen before. Neither took any notice of him, nor the storm around them, and Roku watched in amazement as he noticed the aura about them that denoted they were from the Spirit World. They walked to the edge of the frozen forest surrounding the Spirit Portal, and in another instant they were gone._

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><p>Roku awoke with a groan, arching his back and hearing a small series of pops before he got up from the sleeping roll, grabbing a set of clothes out of one of the boxes in his room. <em>Only a few more things to pack up,<em> he thought. As he gazed out his window at the Fire Nation Capital City, the sun was just beginning to creep over the edge of the crater, casting a golden-red hue on the buildings. His phone began to ring, and he rolled his neck, before picking up the receiver. "Roku," he clipped out, still stretching.

"What're you wearing?" Lin's voice came out, in a failed attempt to be sultry. Roku chuckled, shaking his head.

"I didn't know you transferred to the Fashion Police." Lin was silent for several seconds, and he began chortling uncontrollably at his own joke. "Oh come on, you walked right into that one."

"Alright, alright. So, how's the packing going? Are you going to be able to move everything back to Republic City on time?"

"Well, assuming things continue on their current schedule, I should be sailing off in the next three days, so I might be a bit ahead of time." Roku smiled as he heard the slight sound of her sighing in relief – not that she'd ever admit that she missed him to his face – before he felt wolf-Kya nuzzle his leg. "I _did_ tell you that I have a pet wolf, right?"

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><p>Korra awoke with a long sigh, blissful as she felt the soft fur of her covers wrapped around her. Her arm darted out, quickly grabbing her clothes and she dressed under the covers. Her hair took only a few seconds before it was up in her unique take on a wolftail, and she darted out of her guestroom in the Fire Palace, preferring to hold her boots in her hand and feel the smooth wood floors on her bare feet. Roku appeared next to her after a few feet, dropping down from where he had been doing pull-ups in the rafters to walk beside her. "So, what's the plan for today?" she asked. "More sword training? Or should we go with Firebending?"<p>

"Well, actually I had something else in mind," he said as they walked out of the palace and over toward a structure she had never been in before. She recognized it as a garage just as Roku opened the doors, showing her to a brand new Satomobile with a large blue bow on the hood. "I thought I'd teach you to drive." At her horrified expression, he latched onto her arm, before laughing. "Look, I know that normally it would be the father that would teach his daughter, but I figured since there aren't any Satomobiles in the South Pole, your father probably doesn't know how to drive one. Besides," Roku said, a soft smile gracing his features, "you're a wonderful, beautiful young woman, Korra, and you're the closest thing I have to a daughter."

Korra blushed slightly, embarrassed by the words of affection, but she smiled in return. "I already have parents, but I feel pretty close to you and Lin as well." She took a long breath, before she hesitantly took the keys. "Alright," she said, instantly back to her tough-as-nails self, "let's do this."

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><p>"Well, all in all you did fairly well for your first lesson," Roku said later that evening as he held an icepack against the sizeable welt on his forehead.<p>

"I made you hit your head against the dashboard thirteen times," Korra deadpanned as she stabbed at her komodo sausage.

"Roku made me hit my head against the dashboard twenty-six times," Zuko said as he paused between bites of his own sausage. "He also stalled twice."

"Thank you, father," Roku said, his face turning a bit red at the memory. "As I said, you did well, Korra. Once we return to Republic City, I'll find and reserve a track for you to practice on, and once you're ready, we'll see about getting you some practical exercise driving on the streets. After that, we'll stop by City Hall and see about getting you licensed." Korra just nodded, stabbing again at her sausage, and Roku smiled yet again. "I'm glad you decided to return with me when I came to get my things."

"Well, I've never been to the Fire Nation before," Korra said, lifting her head up. "Yesterday I just put on some of the clothes you left me and walked through the streets. It was amazing to see what it's like here without anyone immediately recognizing me as the Avatar. Republic City is great, but this… it's an entirely different experience. Do you think you'll miss it once you move?" she asked.

"A very pointed question," Roku observed, setting down his chopsticks. "Let me ask you, do you miss the South Pole? A person's home is always a part of them, Korra, no matter where they make their new home. The Fire Nation is as much a part of me as the Southern Water Tribe is a part of you." He reached over, mussing her hair, and laughed at her expression. "Get some rest, young lady. We have much to do tomorrow morning."

* * *

><p>Around midnight, Roku awoke to the sound of light tapping on his door. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes as the covers fell off his bare torso. "Korra? Wa's wrong?" he murmured sleepily.<p>

"It's Kya," the woman replied, her voice light and almost laughing at his own tired voice. She strode in before he could respond, and sat on the edge of his bed, opening up her water pouch. "Your father told me you had a bit of a welt from driving practice. Do you mind?" she asked, and he shrugged, allowing the healer to do her work. "It was very kind of Zuko to let me stay here while I was gathering herbs," she said, a glow emanating from her hands as she began healing the welt. "Living in the south provides plenty of opportunities to help people, but not a whole lot of opportunity to actually grow medicinal herbs."

"I think your singing kills them," he teased, and she playfully swatted his arm, laughing in spite of herself.

"If we didn't have such a long history with our 'family' than I wouldn't have let you off with a swat," she teased in response. "Of course, we have other history as well, don't we?" She snickered as he blushed. "Boy, if this bed could talk…"

"It would tell of how we found comfort with each other when we needed it," Roku responded softly. That was one of the things that he enjoyed about being around Kya; they both understood each other, and neither ever tried to hurt the other. After Lin began dating Tenzin, Roku and Kya had both been unsuccessful in other relationships. There had been one relationship Kya had with a young man from Ba Sing Se that had been emotionally scarring for her, and had caused her fear of being tied down. Roku had managed to find her sobbing in the palace one night after his travel to the Everstorm, and they found themselves finding physical comfort in each other.

It was Kya who had actually taken his virginity – in the very bed they were in now – and throughout the experience Kya had been nothing but comforting when he had expressed his guilt over his feelings with Lin and his actions with Kya. Over the next year, they both managed to help ease each other's emotional pain, and when they had both decided to end their arrangement, neither had felt any kind of resentment toward the other. "May I just say that it is truly amazing that you haven't tried to kill me over our past?"

"Well, I could say it was because you were too good, but I'd be lying," she teased again, patting his cheek as she finished healing his welt. "Lin and I were, and still are, good friends. Even back then, I knew that you two would be perfect together." She gave him a hug, and he returned it, before she stood. "Now, make sure you behave yourself; I hear that wife of yours is pretty tough." She grinned, and left, leaving behind a small book with a couple of poems she had written for the two newlyweds. Roku burrowed back under his covers, and was asleep in moments.

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><p><em>He was sailing the Southern waters in an older ship, a wood and sail frigate called the <em>FNS Redemption._ A teenaged Iroh stood next to his uncle while Roku stood at the helm, steering the ship through the swells of a storm. "Trim all but mains!" Roku shouted, straining to be heard over a clap of thunder. "Speed will do us no good here!" Iroh repeated the command even as some of the crew burst into motion, and Roku strained as another swell tried to send the wheel spinning, his muscles just barely managing to hold them on course as they approached a rogue wave. "Brace yourselves!" he shouted, and a shock ran down his spine as the frigid water splashed over them, soaking him and the crew to the bone. A blinding flash appeared just dozens of yards of the starboard bow, and a deafening clap of thunder immediately followed. The hairs on the back of Roku's neck stood on edge, electrified from the lightning, and he let loose a howling laugh that Bumi would have been proud of._

"_Uncle, there's a waterspout ahead!" Iroh shouted out, and Roku narrowed his eyes, taking in the sight of the tornado-esque spiral rising from the sea, too close for them to veer from. At the very edge of his vision, he saw light arcing through the clouds, and he released the wheel, shouting to his nephew to take over even as he vaulted over the rail to the deck below. He ran across the slick wood, weaving between sailors as he ran forward and onto the bowsprit, the equivalent of a jutting log the only thing keeping him from falling into the water. He reached the very end just as the skies lit up again, and he threw his arm to the sky, feeling the lightning arc into his body. In another second he was redirecting it, sending it flying into the waterspout, watching as it exploded, feeling the blast of water and wind and ice slap his face even as the bowsprit burst beneath him, and he suddenly found himself falling, the icy water opening below to swallow him whole-_

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><p>He awoke with an explosion of breath, flailing for a moment as he felt icy bands close around his chest, before the memory wore away and he was back in his bed, the strong warmth of the sun pouring through his open window, the servant who had thrown it open eyeing him with concern over his action. "Are you alright, Prince Roku?" she asked.<p>

"My apologies," he said as he tossed his legs over the edge of the bed, feeling the soft carpet of the floor in his toes. "Just an old memory reappearing in my dreams. Nothing to be concerned about." The woman bowed slightly, leaving the room as he changed from his sleep pants into attire resembling what his father had worn when he trained Avatar Aang. He sat in front of his mirror, rubbing his eyes while trying to shake the last vestiges of sleep. A pair of feminine hands slipped over his eyes before he could open them, and he couldn't help but grin.

"It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, But the girls in the city they look so pretty…" she sang, and Roku laughed at his sister's comical impersonation of their Great-Uncle before joining in an equally bad impersonation.

"And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet, The girls from Ba Sing Se!" They were bent over laughing for a couple of minutes, before Ursa rested her chin on top of her brother's head, releasing a long sigh. "I'm borrrreeeedddd…" she moaned, comically pressing a hand to her forehead. "Come on, let's spar!" she said, grabbing his arm and practically dragging him from the room. Roku laughed, even as he made the comparison between his sister and his aunt again for the thousandth time. There was no doubt that Azula had been beautiful, and Ursa had gained many of her features through their father, though she had their mother's eyes and nose, and a kind, bubbly personality that was all her own even after fifty-two years of age.

"Ursa, I really have to check on Korra," he began, then grunted as she dragged him around a corner and accidentally swung him into a column. She laughed, dragging him along further even as he rubbed his face, before he dug his heels in, quickly dragging his sister toward the dining room. "Seriously, just five minutes of family meal time and then we can spar as long as you want, alright?" Ursa huffed, but there was a slight smile evident just at the corner of her lip.

"Well, you'd best chow down quick. The Fire Lord wants a spar."

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><p>They sat down at the round table just as Zuko entered, and they sat patiently as the servants set out a simple breakfast. Korra entered just as they left, her hair in something of a mess, and grunting and cursing under her breath. "Morning," she grumbled out, before beginning to shovel food into her mouth. Ursa and Zuko ate quietly, while Roku looked at his pupil with a concerned expression.<p>

"Are you alright, Korra?"

"Yeah, damn peachy," she muttered, digging a fist into her abdomen. Roku's eyebrow quirked slightly, before he leaned forward.

"Is something wrong? Are you feeling ill?"

"I'm fine," she snapped. "Can you just stop asking me what's wrong?! I just want to eat!"

"Look, I'm just trying to help," he said, narrowing his eyes. "I don't much appreciate the attitude, especially after I spent all of yesterday getting my head slammed against a dashboard."

"Roku!" Ursa snapped, smacking his arm. "She's on her period, you moron!"

In an instant all the blood seemed to have drained out of his face even as Korra's turned beet red, and his mouth worked as though he were trying to think of something to say. "I… er…" he managed to stutter out.

"Can we not talk about it?" Korra asked, her voice strained as she rubbed her temples.

"Of course," Zuko stated, glancing up from his tea. "Being married for decades and a father to a woman for even longer has made me very skilled at not mentioning certain things." Korra groaned, burying her face in her hands in embarrassment. "At least you won't have to deal with it with Lin for much longer Roku."

"Yeah, breakfast is shot to hell," Korra said, getting up and stalking out of the room. Roku still sat there, trying to find something to say, Zuko laughing mentally the entire time.

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><p>Well, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Review, tell me how I did.<p>

-Zeratide, out.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, I am glad to see that so far the new story is well-received. I want to comment quickly on a scene in this chapter. When Roku and Korra are sailing out, it might seem like Korra is a little too excited; ditzy almost. When I wrote this, I was thinking that since she's still a Water Tribe girl, being out on the open sea would be very exciting for her. Well, without further ado, here's Chapter 2.

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><p><em>Previously…<em>

"_Yeah, breakfast is shot to hell," Korra said, getting up and stalking out of the room. Roku still sat there, trying to find something to say, Zuko laughing mentally the entire time._

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><p>As Korra had said, breakfast from that point was more of an awkward waiting game than an actual meal. When it was finally over, Roku quickly rose, practically sprinting to the sparring grounds, Ursa following not far behind. As he came out into the large, paved courtyard, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and reveling in the feeling of the sun on his skin. Energy seemed to flow through him, and he released the breath, feeling his mind clear and his body relax. "Ready to spar?" Ursa's voice came from behind him, and he turned around, opening his eyes and nodding. She grinned, and shrugged off her cloak, revealing the simple red and black clothing she wore underneath. Roku tossed his shirt to the side, and kicked off his shoes, before taking the standard opening stance of an Agni Kai.<p>

Ursa made the first move, moving fast and powerfully, a fierce thrust with a claw-like hand. The burst of fire flew at Roku, and he slid into one of the forms of the Dancing Dragon, redirecting her burst of flames back toward her. His eyes gleamed as she began moving into the same form, and he did a fast sweep with his leg, sending a wave of fire close to the ground to try and trip her up. Ursa knew his style, however; as his sister, she knew him better than most anyone else. The initial wave was basically punched upward, and she stomped downward as the wave approached, parting it and taking a strong stance, the fire around her emphasizing her regal beauty.

"Nothing new, brother?" she taunted, and she launched into a flurry of roundhouse kicks, sending large waves in an increasingly smaller arc, focusing him into an area where he would be unable to dodge. When he was square in her target area, she began creating rings as large as she was, sending them toward him in a line as she sent two blasts to either side to assure he couldn't dodge. _He'll go above,_ she thought, the fight seeming to slow down for just a heartbeat as her analytical mind took over. _His rocket propulsion will be his best bet, so he'll try and go upward._ As she moved to send a blast above the rings, however, she was caught by surprise as he leapt through the rings, his body bent in on itself like she had once seen Aang do in a spar with her father. The leap served another function as well; the forward movement of his hands and legs created his own blast, which caught her in the chest like a hammer. Her breath was forced out of her lungs in an explosion, and she fell backwards, doubled over for a moment before she managed to catch her breath once again.

"Well, there is that," he responded, and he strode over, helping his sister up as she burst out laughing.

"Eh, one of these days the Fire Lord is going to kick your ass," she warned, clapping him on the shoulder. Her smile fell slightly, and she enveloped him in a hug. "I'm going to miss you, little brother," she murmured, and he returned the soft embrace.

"I'll miss you too."

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><p>"Korra! Get yer ass in gear!" Roku shouted two days later as he strode along the dock. He wore a pair of black pants tucked into a pair of fine leather boots any sea captain would kill for. His torso was covered by a black silk shirt with a lace-up neck, though at the moment it was unlaced and displaying a fair amount of his muscled chest. A red sash was tied underneath the double-wrapped belt that held his daos on either side of his hips, and a matching red headwrap kept his hair down underneath the black tricorn he wore.<p>

"Aye aye, _matey_," she responded with an exaggerated pirate voice, and he grinned slightly, adjusting the sailor's bag slung over his shoulder with his right hand, his left resting on the pommel of the dao resting on his left hip.

"Just remember that I'm better with these than you are," he teased, before turning back to take in the sight of the _FNS Redemption_. He had said his good-byes to his family that morning, assured that the last of his things were packed away, had arranged for Korra's Satomobile to be shipped out on a freighter leaving a few hours after them, and had changed into his current attire. _Well, I suppose it is a little piratey, _he thought to himself, striding up the gangplank with sure steps. He took a deep breath, reveling in the scent of the sea and the ship, the crew greeting him in a loud chorus of cheers. "Quartermaster!" he shouted, turning to find Iroh standing next to the wheel with a grin, the younger man evidently enjoying his own reunion with the ship. "How fare the seas?"

"Fair winds and following seas," he responded. "If you are ready to leave now, the tides are with us, Captain." Roku nodded, tossing his bag to one of the deckhands before jumping onto the railing and catching ahold of one of one of the ropes, leaning out over the open water.

"Hurry it up, Avatar! Time to get under way!" He grinned as Korra's expression turned from sarcastic to excited, and she practically sprinted up the plank, the men raising it once she was on deck. Roku himself leapt down, striding quickly to the wheel. "Raise anchor, and put every last scrap of duck on the wind!" he shouted, and the deck burst into a flurry of motion. Within a few minutes, they were moving at full tilt, past the gates of Azulon and out onto the open sea. The wind whipped his hair around, tugged at his clothes, and he laughed in joy at the feeling of being out on the open sea again after so long. "How's it feel to be on a real ship again, Iroh?" he called, and the General let out a bark of a laugh, throwing out and allowing the wind to catch his military-issued sea coat, as long as a buccaneer's coat yet more stylish.

The first hour saw Korra running excitedly all over the deck, climbing the rigging, and even steering the ship for a few minutes when Roku let her, but she quickly became bored. "So… what exactly do you do to pass the time on this tub?" she asked.

"I take offense to that," Roku replied, his expression mock-wounded. "I'll have you know that this is one of the fastest, if not _the _fastest, ship in the Royal Fleet, if not the world." He laughed as she rolled her eyes, before he thought of something that might keep her entertained. "How about a Shanty?" he asked, and her eyes lit up in excitement at the prospect of music. "Hmm… which one to go with…" He thought for a moment, his mind churning before the nagging thought that he had some cargo to sell intruded on his train. A moment later, however, he had his answer. "Good Mornin' Ladies All!" he declared, and Korra practically danced in place with excitement. Turning to the crew, he raised his voice before he began to sing, the crew joining in at their respective parts. (A/N: Roku is regular font, Roku and crew is bold.)

"Here we go!

We are outward bound for Merchant's Town,

**With a heave-o, haul!**

An' we'll heave the ol' wheel 'round an' 'round,

**Good mornin' ladies all!**

An' when we get to Merchant's Town,

**With a heave-o, haul!**

'Tis there we'll drink and sorrow drown,

**Good mornin' ladies all!**

Them gals down south are free an' gay!

**With a heave-o, haul!**

Wid them we'll spend our hard-earned pay,

**Good mornin' ladies all!**

We'll swing aroun' we'll have good fun,

**With a heave-o, haul!**

An' soon we'll be back on the homeward run!

**Good mornin' ladies all!**

An' when we get to Yu Dao town,

**With a heave-o, haul!**

For the very last time we'll waltz around,

**Good mornin' ladies all!**

With Lin and Mei and Kya too,

**With a heave-o, haul!**

We'll drink and dance wid a hullabaloo!

**Good mornin' ladies all!**

So a long goodbye to all you dears,

**With a heave-o, haul!**

Don't cry for us, don't waste yer tears!

**Good mornin' ladies all!"**

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><p>Lin sat at her desk, grumbling quietly to herself as she filled out the very last of the paperwork to update the new system of protocol in accordance with President Raiko's election. <em>I go to Ember Island on my honeymoon for two months, and Republic City decided to just completely overhaul its political structure. At least I didn't have to attend the mind-numbing assemblies to go over the new policy. <em>She glanced over at her small desktop calendar, noting that Roku should have been out to sea for a few days now, and sighed as she leaned back, absently turning the ring on her finger. _My mother would never let me live down just how much I miss him if she were still alive, _she thought to herself. _Then again, I can just imagine what she'd say about the marriage in general. "Sparky Junior, eh? Got a thing for the broody type like Katara?" Then of course Katara and Zuko would start arguing with Toph, Sokka would try to act intimidating to his step-son-in-law, Aang would just laugh, and mom would have that ear-to-ear grin of hers…_ She smiled, glancing at the picture of her mother on her desk; not of her in uniform or being an incredible police chief, but just of her as a middle-aged woman sitting with her daughter on a bench.

She was brought out of her memories by her phone ringing. She sighed, before picking up the receiver. "Chief Beifong," she clipped out.

"Now, that is a very cold greeting for your husband," Roku's voice replied, and she smiled slightly, leaning back into her chair and propping her feet up on her desk.

"Well, I'm somewhat upset with him. He went to the Fire Nation and left me all alone in our big, cold bed." Her grin turned wicked when she heard the hoarse groan he couldn't quite keep back. "When he gets back I might have to tie him up and punish him."

"…I forget why I called."

Lin couldn't hold back her laugh at that, and she could practically picture his sheepish expression as he undoubtedly heard it on his end of the line. "Well, where are you calling _from_?" she asked.

"Merchant's Town," he replied. "There was some cargo that Ursa wanted me to drop off. Oh, now I remember, I wanted to ask if you wanted me to try and pick up any decorations or furniture for our new house."

Lin sat back a moment, thinking about the new house they had decided to buy together. The primary reason he had gone to his old home was to get some things to move there, and while he was gone she had already moved some of her own things from her apartment into the empty building. They were both pretty sparse when it came to decorating, but three stories required _something. _"I don't really know. We've already got the bedroom and living room furnished. You get any cookware while you were home?"

"Cookware, toiletries, toolbox, extra dresser, some clothes, few swords, some training equipment, bookshelf, couple scrolls, couple books. I was thinking about maybe creating a small office for you in that room on the south side of the second floor."

"Sounds fine to me. See if you can find a sturdy desk with at least six drawers and a chair that doesn't make my ass feel numb after thirty minutes."

"Yes, I certainly don't want-"

"Don't finish that sentence," she said, smirking in spite of herself. "Is there anything you need me to pick up on my end?"

"Well, once I get back I can start painting the living room walls. What was the one we agreed on that I barely glanced at because you were wearing only my nightshirt when you showed me the samples?"

"You're too easy to manipulate," she teased. "Let me see… it was Winter Amethyst."

"Alright, pick that up. Do you want me to add any hangings? Fire Nation, Earth Nation, Beifong Crest?"

"I'm not sure yet," she replied, sighing as there was a knock on her door. "I have to go. Looks like the new rookie's here."

"Make sure to give him the Nostril-Flare of Intimidation."

"You're worse than Sokka."

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><p>A little bit shorter this time, since I'm just trying to get Roku back to Republic City now. Hope you all enjoyed it!<p>

-Zeratide, out.


	3. Chapter 3

_Previously…_

"_I have to go. Looks like the new rookie's here."_

"_Make sure to give him the Nostril-Flare of Intimidation."_

"_You're worse than Sokka."_

* * *

><p>Roku stood in front of the desk in his Captain's quarters, looking over the documents he had been compiling for the last three hours. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes, looking out of the large bay window to see that the moon had reached its zenith. Turning back to the desk, he picked up the immigration forms for Republic City that he still had to fill out for citizen status, then set them back down, instead putting his own finishing touches on a report compiled by his father for Tenzin informing the Nomad that Zaheer and his cohorts were still in custody and refusing to confess. There was a knock on his door, and he finished with a quick flourish before tucking the file away in the desk. "Enter."<p>

Korra strode in, taking a seat across from him as he took his own seat, and remained silent for a few moments until he wondered if she were going to speak at all. Finally, she seemed to work up the nerve. "I was playing with Naga for a bit when I heard some of the other members of your crew talking. They were saying things about how I was less than they had expected when they had heard that they would be sailing with the Avatar. They were talking about how I haven't done anything nearly as good as any of my predecessors, or how I haven't done anything to help the Fire Nation or anyone else, just Republic City. I just… what if they're right?

Roku took a deep breath, before he reached down into his desk and pulled an old dagger from a drawer. He turned the blade over in his hand, gazing at the inscription and remembering all it had seen. "This dagger was carried by many people," he said, turning it over to her so she could look at it. "It was first carried by an Earth Nation General. Eventually, it came into the possession of my Great-Uncle, Iroh. He passed it down to my father, who temporarily passed it to another. Eventually, it came to me. To me, that dagger is a symbol of inner turmoil. The people who bore it overcame great struggles, and became great people for their struggles. I don't pretend to have all the answers, Korra, but as the Avatar, your life will be filled with struggles. Sometimes people will disagree with you, and that's something that every Avatar has had to deal with. Your struggles will make you that much stronger, of this I am sure." She handed the dagger back to him, and he turned it over several times in his hands. "I want you to keep this," he said, giving it back to her. "Maybe it'll be of use to you someday."

She gave him a quick hug in thanks, before she awkwardly left the cabin, tucking the blade into her belt. Roku smiled slightly, before leaning back in his chair, propping his legs up on the table, and falling asleep.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, they hit a calm area of the seas, the wind falling out of the sails and leaving them limp as rags. Korra quickly became bored, trying to convince him to let her use Airbending to propel them along, but he staunchly refused.<p>

"These sails are of a different make than the kind used in the other nations, Korra," he replied, lazily leaning against the wheel. "The weaving of the fibers is tighter to capture the maximum amount of air possible. If you were to try and use your Airbending in your normal impatient state, you'd be liable to use too much and wind up ripping the sails off the masts, and I quite frankly do not want to go swimming for them in Unagi-infested waters." She groaned, stalking back and forth sullenly until he decided another shanty might pacify her.

"Lin Beifong, she's the gal for me boys!

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

Lin Beifong she's the gal for me, boys!

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

It's down to Yu Dao Town to see Lin Beifong boys!

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

Down to Yu Dao Town to see Lin Beifong boys!

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

She's lovely on the foreyard, she's lovely down below boys!

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

She's lovely 'cause she loves me, that's all I want to know boys!

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

Ol' Captain Baker, how do you store yer cargo

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

Some I stow for'ward, an' some I stow aft'ward

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

Fourty fathoms or more below boys!

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

There's fourty fathoms or more below boys.

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

Oh, way high ya, an' up she rises

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

Way high ya, and the blocks is different sizes

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

Oh, one more pull, don't ya hear the mate a-bawlin?

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

Oh, one more pull, that's the end of our haulin'

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong**

Lin Beifong she's the gal for me boys!

**Roll Boys! Roll boys roll!**

Lin Beifong she's the gal for me, boys!

**Way high, Miss Lin Beifong!**"

* * *

><p>Lin sat in her office, staring at her phone in annoyance. Her foot kept tapping the floor impatiently, waiting to hear the phone ring and Roku's voice telling her that he was at the dock. Two days had already passed since his planned docking, and while she knew that he was in all likelihood perfectly fine, she still felt an annoying amount of concern over him. <em>I don't much care for this aspect of married life,<em> she decided to herself. It was much more convenient when she didn't have to worry about other people. _Of course, the idiot would decide to take the one ship in the entire Fire Nation fleet that still ran on sails. I swear, he does this just to irritate me._

"Uh… Chief?" a voice sounded at her door, and she rolled her eyes when she recognized it as Mako's. The boy was an adequate cop, sure, but he was still in that rookie stage where he kept asking her about every single tiny detail to the point where she was about ready to slam his face into a wall. She sighed, before ushering him in.

"If this is another question about traffic citations, I'm going to hit you."

He promptly left.

* * *

><p>Korra watched as Roku stood on the main deck with his men, squaring off against another sailor in a sword spar. The voyage had entered its third day in the doldrums, and the captain had decided to engage in some friendly combat with dulled blades against his crew to keep spirits up. She watched as the sailor charged at Roku, trying to sweep his leg with a standard cutlass while Roku brought down his offhand Dao to meet the swipe, before using his primary to score a sweep across his opponent's bare chest. The man's supporters groaned, turning over coin to those they had made bets against, while Roku congratulated his opponent, before wiping down his own bare chest with a towel.<p>

It was remarkably hot for the season; most of the crew was stripped to the waist, save Iroh who was dressed as ever in his military uniform, while Korra herself had changed from her normal lighter furs and clothing to a pair of gray sweatpants and a white tank top. She watched as Roku tossed the swords to Iroh before engaging the next member of the crew in hand-to-hand combat. She almost laughed at how short the match was. "Why not try against me?" she shouted, and the crew began murmuring excitedly as Roku grinned, motioning for her to join him in the rough circle.

She vaulted over the railing, quickly working her way through the crew until she was squared off against the older man, watching as he took a quick drink from a pouch near his effects. _The deck is rather smooth, so it'll be somewhat tricky to keep firm footing, _she noted. "Blades or hands?" Roku asked. She weighed the options for a moment, before deciding.

"Too scared to go for both?"

The crowd laughed heartily, some mockingly jeering at their captain, before Roku's grin widened even more. Motioning to Iroh, he caught his swords when his nephew threw them, before tossing one to Korra and switching his remaining to his left hand. "One blade in my off hand. That should make things a bit fairer for you," he teased, taking a stance. A grin of her own overtook her face, and she settled into a stance he had shown her for fighting left-handed opponents. Iroh took up position, his arm held forward, and at his call, Roku leapt, stabbing directly at the space directly above the guard to try and throw off her arm. She dropped her shoulder slightly, and shifted to her left, allowing the blade to slide past and her own blade to come in close to his side. There was a brief moment of surprise evident on Roku's face, before he managed to catch the blade awkwardly on the pommel of his sword and tried to yank her sword out of her hand. However, the poor positioning of his counter wound up pulling her directly into him, and they collided in a sweaty tangle.

She quickly lashed out with her left fist, managing to land a glancing blow near his kidney, and he struggled to push her off of him before he suddenly lost his footing, hitting the deck hard and pulling her down on top of him. She heard him curse explosively as she landed directly on him, and she felt the air blast out of his lungs before he managed to gasp out a pained "GET OFF ME!" She quickly managed to rise to her feet, before her face turned green when she saw an ugly bruise quickly developing across his chest. "I think you broke a rib," he gasped out, curling in on himself as the crew laughed. She quickly and carefully helped him to his feet, before leading him to his cabin.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," she said as she quickly began healing the injury. Roku groaned in pain as the bone shifted back into place, before nodding.

"I know you didn't. Normally, you wouldn't have. I'm still recovering from the effects of Amon's bloodbending; when he almost killed me, the blood burst weakened my muscles and slowed my reaction time. I've been recovering well enough, but it'll still be a few weeks before I'm back to normal."

"Then why in blazes would you keep sparring against everyone?" she demanded, looking at him with a bewildered expression.

"It's who I am," he replied, pulling on a shirt when she was done. "When I was young I traveled the world, learned from everyone I could, fought pirates and bandits and escaped convicts. Sitting still and taking it slow hasn't really been for me."

"You're not as young as you used to be," she said softly, sitting down in front of him. "Roku, in the past year you've had your spine broken and were nearly killed when most of your blood was forced out of your body. As your friend, your student, and your healer, I don't know if you could survive another injury like those." He was silent then, his expression turning dark, and she sighed. "If you won't relax for me, try and do it for Lin?" There was no response, and she sighed again, standing and turning to go.

"What if I'm not enough for her?" his voice sounded, soft and vulnerable. She turned back, looking at him with a questioning expression. "Once I turned twenty, the longest I remained in one area was two years. I was in Republic City for almost a year before I headed to my home, though that was to bring things back to Republic City. I can feel that wanderlust beginning to wake, urging me to travel out and find the next adventure. Yet at the same time I can feel my love for Lin urging me to remain, with the knowledge that, as you said, I am not as young as I was. How can I honor her when half of myself wants to go, knowing all the while that she could not follow?"

"I don't know," she said simply. "I was raised on a compound for most of my life, so I don't know social normality as well as others. All I can tell you is to try and figure out what your heart wants, and go with that. You could also try talking to your wife."

* * *

><p>Five.<p>

FIVE. DAYS.

Oh, she was going to kill him.

When his phone call finally came – thirty seconds after she had left her office, so her secretary had to chase her down – she was furious. Even worse, it hadn't even been him; Iroh had been the one who called her, saying that as soon as he was sure everything was going where it was supposed to, Roku had disappeared, leaving no message behind other than he was going home. She could just imagine the young United Forces General shrinking away from his earpiece at his Aunt's – _and isn't that still weird _– following response. She had just about knocked the station's door off its hinges, practically stomping down the rainy street as she threw her trench coat on over her armor. _And of course it's a miserable day,_ she thought, hunching her shoulders and turning up her collar.

"Lin!" a voice called, and she turned to see Kya jogging toward her. "Oh boy," the waterbender laughed, seeing the murderous expression on her friend's face. "Who's done what now?"

"Roku," she growled, "_just_ got into dock, and instead of calling me to let me know that nothing happened after arriving almost a full _week_ after he had expected to, he just decides to _go home!_"

"Why'd it take a week?" Kya asked, confused. "I left the day before him, and my ship arrived on time." Lin looked at her friend, confused for just a moment before she remembered the healer had gone to gather herbs.

"The moron had to take the one ship in the entire _fleet_ that still ran on sails," she hissed. "Idiot must've hit a calm."

"Well, I'm just gonna -" Kya began, turning to walk away.

"Oh no," Lin growled, grabbing her friend's arm and practically dragging her along. "He's going to need a healer when I'm done with him."

They reached the house a full ten minutes later, Lin's anger having only escalated in that time, and when they reached the door she was shaking so badly that she couldn't even get the key into the lock. Kya managed to get the door before she metalbent it off its hinges, and she stomped upstairs, failing to notice the trail of flower petals she was stomping on. As Kya chased after her, trying to get her to notice, Lin nearly kicked down the bedroom door, finally stopping when she saw the scene within.

The entire floor was covered with flower petals of all kinds, while dozens of candles of various colors were lit, casting flickering shadows throughout the room. Roku lay on his side on the bed, wearing nothing but a devilish grin and a loose seaman's bandana around his hair. His grin disappeared when Kya came around the door, and with a rather unmanly shriek he quickly yanked everything he could over himself, falling off the bed in his haste to cover up. Kya burst out laughing, doubling over until she was wheezing, and Lin found herself torn between wanting to join her, remaining angry at her husband, or being touched by the romantic scene he had tried to create.

"Hey, Kya?" Roku's muffled voice came from under the pile of blankets and pillows. "I, uh… think I would like a moment alone to try and find my pants. I'd search for my dignity, but that, uh… that ship has sailed."

"I see the bloodbending scars are healing well," she teased, turning around and walking out as best she could without falling over laughing. Lin shook her head, walking over and grabbing a pair of his pants out of the dresser.

"Best put on the pants, Shu," she teased. She took another look around the room, before her expression softened.

"On second thought, maybe not."

* * *

><p>A note on Shu: as Romeo and Juliet do not exist in the Avatar World, Oma and Shu are the closest to the story. So, instead of Best put on the pants, Romeo, it becomes Best put on the pants, Shu. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed. Read and review.<p>

-Zeratide, out.


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